Severe Allergies from the masks

[Bonnie Angel]

Hi everyone,
I have tried a mask that just went over my mouth with soft tubes that filled my nostrils. I was so allergic to the soft tubes that I had a runny itchy painful nose and swollen eyes that teared all the time.
I went to a full face mask and that causes rashes and eczema on my cheeks and forehead and both eyes swell and itch and are red and become extremely painful. My nose hurts when I breath through it all day. My nose has always closed up when I lay down - I had my tonsils and adenoids out when I was 4. But I have always been a mouth breathing sleeper. I usually breathe through my nose during the day. But can't when I use the CPAP.
I covered the soft parts of the mask with thin fabric and tape but while it slowed down the progress of the allergies it has now stopped helping at all and the Dr. told me 2 days ago to stop the mask and say I needed something to solve the problem. I have severe apnea stopping breathing 58 times an hour and at times have stopped breathing for 1 1/2 minutes.
Today is the first day since I began this machine in October that my face doesn't itch and my eyes are not watery. I have eye drops and cream for my face.
I need help bad!! I have a humidifier but the machines in Sweden are just beginning to come with heaters and I didn't get one. My bedroom has no heat on very very cold nights so my face gets so cold it is stiff and my teeth hurt like crazy if I use the mask then. Seems I can't win and I am really tired of sleeping 19 hours a day and not finding any relief from exhaustion.
Thank you for any help. Bonnie

[Grumpy]

Remzzz

Could be worth trying a full mask (one that covers your nose and mouth) with some Remzzz liners.

[Fredxx]

Remzzz liners would be my first thought too, and maybe some barrier cream as well

[Berneta]

Allergies

Hi Bonnie, you must feel miserable. The Remzz liners might help--also wash your mask in a mild bleach solution and rinse it very well (Some might suggest Milton like is used on baby things) But be sure to rinse everything very well. You could also try an over the counter Anti-Allergy pill to take, and see if you could find an allergy cream to use on your facial sores. Whatever you try to use---test use it in small amounts first--- to make sure you are not allergic to it. A plain lubricant in the nostrils (like Aloe Vera) might help stop the nose sores. Or a saline nose spray of some sort. Noses get sore mostly because they dry out. You might also need to ask for a cloth mask if the silicon bothers you. Hope you get over this fast. Having OSA is bad enough without all your allergies too! Good Luck, xx Berneta

[jackyk]

hope you get sorted, is it the latex in it that you are allergic to? try changing to a different mask with a different type of cushion made from different materials

[Bonnie Angel]

Thanking all for the help and what is new

I have been waiting for my appointment with the CPAP specialist and boy found lots of things I was told by the person that passes out the machines were not correct.
But I am flat out of luck with supplies to help. In Sweden we pay so much in taxes that meds and equipment are pretty much paid for. Sweden used to have the Remzzz masks for leakage but no longer use them. They have never had the cloth masks to cover up the masks and no barrier creme.

I was given a gel mask which is way way more comfortable but around the gel is 1/4 inch of latex and just in the hour that we played with adjusting it and stopping the leaks and setting the pressure of the air my rash returned full force.
I was told if I wanted the mask and creme I would have to buy it myself. After using it for several weeks I should contact her and tell her how they worked. If I give my approval to them she would put in a request that she be allowed to order some for patient use. The CPAP board or whatever it is called must give permission for any money spent.

I will need to make my own cloth mask as that company doesn't have them for the gel mask. But I don't have pay pal and found it was so hard and complicated to get money transferred to Stockholm and then on to pay pal and then pay pal kept telling me I couldn't order anything because I needed a credit card. I don't have a personal card as it kept being used somehow by people all over the place. They refused to allow me to do anything with the money I had in there. It took months to get my money back. The mask place only takes payment in pay pal. I will write to them as the bigger mask I have could use one and I thought it would help as a template to make a different kind.
The barrier creme I have to write and ask them for permission to have it sent to Sweden. I wrote them this morning.

QUESTION: Do you think I could put the foam on the latex and then using the cloth cover it would still work? I have never been able to put anything other than good lotions or creams on my face. Makeup, face or eye, has been out. Very difficult to find a lipstick that works and doesn't swell me up something crazy. Hypo-allergenic things make the reaction worse.
I am a little afraid of what the barrier creme will do.

Thank you everyone for helping me. Bonnie in Sweden

[Bonnie Angel]

I need another kind of barrier cream

Hello Again.
I find that the UK can not send me any foam unless it is sent as a hazadous waste material and the smallest postage for that is 85 British Pounds. I can't afford that! I sure could use some help in what else I can use.
I could just sit down and sob right now. I am "sleeping" pretty much every place I sit down. I sleep 19 hours a day at least. We go to the store I sleep in the car there and back. My hubby keeps me awake in the pm to watch a couple movies or tv shows and then I fall asleep.
I can't find a mask, even gel, that doesn't have that soft latex or silicone edge on it. I had it on for 1 hour on Monday and am still red and itching even with meds.
Is there a mask that is gel with no edging on it?
Is there another barrier cream or foam or lotion or whatever?
I can make a mask since I can't buy one without pay pal but I can't make a barrier.
Thanks Bonnie in Sweden

[martin]

Hi Bonnie, sorry you are having a bad time with this....I have been using a mask called a sleepweaver, not sure but i think its cloth. There is a sleepweaver thread on this forum or if you see a link from tom at intus he would be able to confirm. Remzz are a cloth liner that lines the edge of the mask, might be worth trying. Hope things improve.

[Berneta]

Itching

HI Bonnie, sorry you are having such problems. Itching is miserable. You could ask at the pharmacy-- if they have any lotion with Lidocaine. It will stop pain and itches and you can some times find Aloe Vera Gel with LIdocaine that is sold in large jars for sunburn. Its not terrible expensive--hope you can find it. If I were you I would ask about the RMzzz liners but until you can get some---you could try to make a homemade liner from sheeting. Anything to get the mask off your skin. Hope you get the problem solved soon. I too have done that sleeping in the car thing--just feels like you are sleeping your life away! Good luck! XOX Berneta